To Life!

The thing about living is that it’s best done when alive.  Scary thing about that is, on this Earth you’ve got one shot to get it done.  My mom asked me to write a blog about what it means to “truly live” and I thought, “Well what do I know?  I’m a 23 year old college grad with a desk job.”  But the more I thought about it, the more excited I became.  I’m an English major.  I read books for a living in college, and if I learned anything from that experience it is that every life is extraordinary because every life is a story and it comes down to how you frame it.  Take for example Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.  It’s the story of four girls who turn into women.  Literally, that’s the plot.  Yet somehow it has become a classic and enduring novel whose shelf life seems never to expire.  The girls aren’t practicing magic or going on wild adventures where dragons are slain and princesses saved, but rather girls growing up, finding jobs, realizing simple dreams, and falling in love.  How can a book about growing up with a house full of obnoxious sisters possibly be one of the most fantastic novels ever written?  Simple, the characters are relatable, realistic and unique.  The characters come to life; they play out our stories as they live their own.

When we think about “truly living” we envision sold-out amphitheaters full of doe-eyed men and women listening to some sycophantic, self-help guru.  Or, on the other end of the spectrum, we have this idea of an extreme lifestyle full of skydiving, saving orphans from impoverished countries, traveling the world and eating bizarre foods off  sticks.  And while that’s all well and good (and bizarre stick foods aside, all things I would love to do at some point) these are not the only ways to think about this concept.  Truly living does not have to mean going to seminars or changing your favorite hobby from baseball-with-your-kids to free-climbing rock walls in the Himalayans.  To truly live I assert that you need to do a handful of easily accomplishable things:

1. Be alive.

2. Love openly and be loved.

3. Do something you love—be it your career or a hobby.

4. Listen to the stories of others and have the creative license to write your own.

If we are to revamp our idea of what it means to be truly alive then let’s do it right and with vigor.  Take time to sit down and think about your story.  What’s the plot of your life?  Who are the supporting characters and how do they fit into it?  What’s your adventure, your romance, drama and your twist?  This is your autobiography, what will your life sound like when you read it out loud?  There is nothing wrong with a desk job if it supports a fabulous plot.  In fact, there is nothing wrong with working outside your passion so long as it plays a supporting role.  There is nothing wrong with pretending you’re not a grown up every once in a while.  Yes, I know you secretly enjoy watching Tangled with your kids, what’s wrong with that?  As we age we have a tendency to lose our ability to think creatively and outside-the-box.  Don’t be afraid to reclaim that.

So what I’m saying is go and be truly alive: at home, at work, in the grocery store and in the park. Take note of the minutia, it’s the background of your story.  Respect the people around you, they are your supporting characters and without them your story means nothing.  Enjoy your work or move on because it is a major piece of your setting.  Recognize your goals; they are the crux of your plot.  In short, this is your story.  Go write it.

Elizabeth Moore, daughter of Nancy Moore, founder The Porch Company

It’s all about communication.

For example:

Incoming caller:   “I’d like to talk to someone about a patio.”

Porch Co:  “Are you thinking of a stone, brick, concrete patio?”

Caller:  “I assumed we’d use wood but I’m open.”

Porch Co:  “Oh, so you want a deck, right?”

Caller: “Well, I have a deck now.  I want it screened in.”

Porch Co:  “Oh, you want a screened porch?”

Caller:  “Yea, that’s what I said.”

This is a porch!

Believe it or not, this happens all the time. It’s terminology. Regardless of what Webster says, it means what the person saying it thinks it means. So, we’ve developed the Porch Co Dictionary of Porch Terms we’d like to share with you. Feel free to call and argue with us. We’re open to your definition – as long as we are talking to you anyway.

Porch - Roofed structure with walls that breathe.
Roof – means waterproof overhead structure (as opposed to arbor which leaks when it rains).
Walls that breathe – this means either it is an open air porch (basically no walls – only columns) or screened (which air passes through). This specifically means that there are no windows. Our “Walls that breathe” term very specifically means – NOT A SUNROOM. NOT A GLASSED IN ROOM.
Screened Deck – we don’t like this term. But it you must use it, it implies a deck onto which a screened porch has been added.
Screened Porch – we much prefer this term. This is a Porch (see above) with screened walls.
Front Porch – just like porch – only on the front of your house. Typically covering the front door. Typically more dressy than a back porch. Typically not screened.
Back Porch – just like porch – only on the rear of your house.
Open Air Porch – another type of porch – with no fixed screen walls. However, may very well have screen curtains (see below).
Sunroom = Glassed in Room – just call this an addition with lots of windows. This is not a porch.
Deck – wooden structure (could be wood framing with composite decking) without a roof.
Patio – masonry structure without a roof.
Pavers – now this term is really confusing because even in the industry, it means different things. When we say pavers we are really talking about the method of installation of a particular type of masonry product. That installation method consists of compacted gravel base, sand and then the pavers. These pavers can be made of concrete, clay or various types of stone. IE – you can have concrete pavers, brick pavers, bluestone pavers, travertine pavers, etc. But they are all installed using the same method. What makes them pavers (in our definition) is that they are formed, cut, or shaped, to work with this method of installation. Wow – that was more than you wanted to know.
Screen Curtains – curtains made using screening material. Really cool.
Arbor = Pergola – much like a porch but with a slatted roof (that does not keep the water out). Actually, roofing material is not used – typically wood (or pvc material) with gaps between the boards. Its purpose is to provide shade and does so depending on how close together the boards are put. Put them too close together and Brentwood Codes calls it a pavilion. So again, terms are important.
Pavilion – a porch not attached to a house.
Detached Porch – a porch not attached to a house.
Gazebo – a porch not attached to a house. However, typically 8 sided.

OK – that’s enough for today. But you get our gist – we have our definitions and we like ‘em!